Tennis triggered pain in thumb problem

After playing tennis for the first few times I have developed a rather painful thumb.

I have been coached so I don't think its a grip problem. The pain is from the middle joint of my thumb to the lower one.. and I can feel the joints/bones rub when I move my thumb..

The pain occurs when I either move my thumb away from my hand, or if I use it for pressure, for example, gripping the racket on a forehand shot. The grip is ok itself, but as soon as I move the racket back and then forward to hit the ball, i can feel the pain the whole way, and its mentally effecting how i play the ball.

Can anyone recommend a good solution to this problem and whether people have experienced similar problems?

I'm no doctor, but...

the first thing i'd try to do is wrap it

if that doesn't work, i'd try stopping for a week or two and stretch it a few times a day

then if all else fails, try to work through it!

the VERY LAST thing i'd recommend is to go see a doctor, but if you do, get an MRI and see if there is structural damage. DO NOT, I repeat, DO NOT let them put you on meds, steroids, give you shots, etc.

What type of wrapping would u mean? I wouldn't be sure how to wrap my thumb without it effecting my grip etc...

resting isn't really an optoin for me.. i work using computers so hope it isnt a sign of RSI (im only 18!!!) i can keep streching it and see how it goes.. horrible pain though when i use any strength in the thumb

Wrapping it up

I use this adhesive tape, it looks like gauze and it's flexible. It doesn't mess with your game or grip. I also empathize, I'm a software engineer by trade and my wrists are hosed. Tennis is one of the ONLY things that makes it feel better. If you're ever in Orlando, let's get a game going!

As for a game in Orlando.. bit hard as I'm currently in the UK! So either you can pay for some flights (of course i wont say no).. or wait until I come on holiday tehre with the girlfriend sometime which is probable!

I'd try the one or two weeks off first. Then wrap if there is any hint of remaining pain. Better yet, take another week off. That pain means something. It could be a ligament, so don't risk making it worse. Chances are that if you let it heal, you'll be fine.

Since you work on a computer, you may try looking up hand exercises. I know of some recommended for Shiatsu. They are like yoga for the hand and very good for joints and flexibility. But not while there is still pain.

I went to play again last night (befoer i read this).. and it wasn't as bad.. only towards the end did i feel the pain slightly, but holding the racket i couldnt feel the pain as I did last week. Will do hand excercises and go again next week, if its painful I'll have to take your advice and time off, though I REALLY don't want to do that right now, but hey.. ah well

I went to play again last night (befoer i read this).. and it wasn't as bad.. only towards the end did i feel the pain slightly, but holding the racket i couldnt feel the pain as I did last week.

That's a good sign that it just needs time to heal. Hey, i know it's hard to lay off. You wouldn't be the first one to have gotten impatient and played with pain you shouldn't have. Almost everyone I know I has done that, including me ;-)

I've been a software enginner for 8 years and no matter how much i work my wrists out, or how much I rest them, NOTHING makes a difference. they always hurt, all the time, for 6 years straight now. playing tennis makes my wrists feel great, but i'm just saying that if i didn't play because they hurt, i would have stopped playing 6 years ago. i don't want anyone to get hurt, but sometimes (in my opinion) you DO have to work through it and/or just suck it up. but i'm not trying to get anyone injured, go easy, try rest first